A Timer And Thermometer For Every Kitchen

As you continue to flourish in your culinary arts program, you learn about the different styles of cooking and attempt to master your own creations. Through experimentation you will come across your own methods for creating unique recipes, but there are some essential tools you need in the kitchen to guide your efforts. As you make your way within an online culinary arts certificate program you will hear about renowned and experienced professional chefs who can guestimate the completion of their dish by the scent of the food.

While this process is a great goal to strive toward you should focus first and foremost on practicing advance culinary methods. It takes time to reach the plateau of tossing out traditional tools in exchange for complete dependence on aromas or gut instinct.

Timer: The most seasoned veteran chef might be able to walk into his or her kitchen and take a few quick whiffs to determine if something is ready to be further prepared or served. This method is not for everyone and it may be too soon for you to rely on such tactics. You should follow the guidelines provided to you by instructors or cookbooks as much as possible.

Until you reach the status where you are comfortable cooking delightful dishes simply by relying on the feel or aroma in the room, stick to traditional and reliable methods of using a timer. How long an item should cook can depend on many factors, such as the weight of the product.

Thermometer: On first glance foods in the oven can look the perfect color and smell just right. It is easy to let your anxiousness get the most of you and quickly take the item out of the stove to dig in and get the first taste. Unfortunately, without a thermometer it can be very difficult for even experienced chefs to determine the right look or scent of over or undercooked food.

If you rush something out of the oven you run the risk of the food not being safe to eat. For example, a thermometer placed in meat can read the temperature. You can then reference this with USDA standards to ensure safety. The USDA recommends cooking beef, veal and pork at 145 ºF. Safe cooking temperature for chicken or turkey is 165 ºF.